NEW DELHI: Travelers coming to Delhi from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana will have to stay in institutional quarantine for 14 days mandatorily irrespective of the mode of traveling.
The order in this regard was issued by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Thursday in view of the new Covid strain found in both states.
"A virulent variant of COVID-19 is reported to have been found recently in the state of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. This new strain of COVID-19 has a shorter incubation period with high transmission rate and the progress of disease is much more rapid in this strain therefore additional precautionary measures in respect of the people coming from the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to NCT of Delhi through airlines/trains/buses/cars/trucks or any other mode of transportation are required to be taken in public interest with the objective that this new virulent strain of COVID-19 should not enter and transmit into the territory of NCT of Delhi," says the order making 14 days quarantine mandatory.
However, those who have been administered both doses of COVID vaccine or carry negative RT-PCR test report not older than 72 hours prior to undertaking the journey, will be allowed home quarantine for 7 days, the order issued by Delhi chief sey Vijay Dev added.
Dev is also the chairman of DDMA.
It will be the responsibility of the resident commissioners of the state concerned to ensure that instructions for quarantine are complied with if the people coming from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana stay in state bhawana.
For compliance, the onus will be on the owners of hotels, guest houses and other accomodation facilities in case travelers check in there.
The order also says district magistrates concerned will make ensure compliance of instructions and should take necessary action as per health protocol or standard operating procedures (SOPs) prevailing in the national capital with regard to screening, testing, home quarantining, isolation, and surveillance.
"The government of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana shall adequately inform and sensitize their residents, who are coming to Delhi, about the instructions stipulated in this order.
In case any person is found violating the aforesaid instructions, the defaulting person shall be proceeded against as per the provisions. All DMs, their counterpart District deputy commissioner of police (DCPs) and all authorities concerned shall ensure strict compliance of this order," reads the order.